Tapijtontwerp voor raam in het Noordertransept van de Dom te Utrecht c. 1868 - 1938

This is Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst's 'Tapijtontwerp voor raam in het Noordertransept van de Dom te Utrecht,' a design for a stained glass window, though we don't know what medium he used to create it. I’m struck by the way these four panels are both distinct and unified, kind of like a family, or maybe a collection of related thoughts. There's this dance between dark and light, a real push and pull that keeps your eye moving, always searching for the next little detail. The grid-like structure underlying each panel reminds me of city maps, or maybe even circuits. But then, those fluid shapes soften the edges, creating a beautiful tension between the geometric and the organic. The textures and tones here are so subtle, but they give the whole thing a real sense of depth and history. It’s like peering through a window into another world. Holst reminds me a little of Hilma af Klint, with that combination of geometric abstraction and spiritual depth. Neither wants to give you all the answers, but instead, invites you to bring your own questions, and find your own meaning.